The Social History of Religion in Scotland Since 1730

by Callum G. Brown

Scotland has long been regarded as the most strong;y religious region of mainland Britain. Callum Brown highlights the diversity of religious activity in the country, explaining the development of presbyterianism, Catholicism, and episcopalianism as well as that of the many minor churches and sects. using maps and tables, he shows how geographical and social factors help to explain regional differences in church affiliation and the strength of popular religious commitment. Many historians have seen the kirk as the focus of Scottish nationalism, sustaining a distinctively Scottish popular culture. Callum Brown shows how this view has been overstated. He locates Scottish religious history firmly in its British context, explaining how the uniqueness of the Calvinist tradition fade between 1750 and 1850, to be replaced by a new evangelicalism shared by the rest of the English speaking world. Secularization is identified as very recent, originating in the crisis of poverty and welfare

273 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1987

About the author

Callum Graham Brown is a Scottish historian and author.

Currently Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Glasgow, Brown is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.